Barcelona have agreed a deal with Bayern Munich for the signing of striker Robert
Lewandowski for £42.5m (€50m).
Lewandowski is still🌈 in Munich and will fly to Miami on
Sunday, where Barcelona will begin their pre-season tour, for a medical before🌈 signing
his three-year contract, which contains an option for a further 12 months.
The Poland
international had just one year remaining🌈 on his Bayern contract and had told the club
he would not renew his deal.
"I didn't have much time to🌈 prepare for it. It all went
very quickly to say goodbye to everyone!" Lewandowski told Sky Germany after agreeing
his🌈 move.
"These eight years were special and you don't forget that. I had a great time
in Munich.
"I will fly soon🌈 but after the training camp I will come back and say
goodbye properly and organise a few things. I said🌈 goodbye to the boys on the field
today, I wasn't worried about an injury in training. Something can happen to🌈 me at
home. I wanted to keep fit and trained with the boys again."
Up until now the German
champions had🌈 insisted Lewandowski was not for sale and turned down a €40m (£33.8m)
offer from Barcelona last month.
However, Lewandowski's departure would🌈 help Bayern to
finance the signing of Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus, who have priced the centre-back
at around €80m🌈 (£67.7m) plus bonuses, according to Sky in Italy.
Hasan Salihamidzic,
Bayern's sporting director, was in Turin on Monday to open negotiations🌈 for De Ligt
with Juventus. The Dutchman has two years remaining on his Juve contract and is
reported to have🌈 told the Italian club he is keen to move to Munich.
Image: Juventus
have priced centre-back Matthijs de Ligt at around🌈 €80m (£67.7m) plus bonuses amid
interest from Bayern Munich
Chelsea have also been tracking De Ligt this summer as they
try🌈 to replace Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, who both left on free transfers
but are set to complete a deal🌈 for Kalidou Koulibaly.
Lewandowski: The numbers do not
lie
Lewandowski has been with Bayern since 2014 and has scored 344 goals for🌈 the club
in 375 appearances across all competitions.
He has helped Bayern to eight Bundesliga
titles in the last eight seasons,🌈 as well as three German cups, and has just been
crowned the league's top scorer for the fifth season in🌈 a row after netting 35 goals in
34 Bundesliga games in 2024/22.
Why Barcelona were so keen to sign Lewandowski
Sky in
🌈 Germany reporter Marc Behrenbeck:
"Xavi desperately wants a world-class striker who can
guarantee 30 or more goals a season. A two🌈 or three-year contract is in the making with
a salary of about €35m to €40m (£30m to £34m) a year.
"Barcelona🌈 are not able to pay
high fees but high salaries. It was always a dream for Lewandowski to play in🌈 Spain -
either Real Madrid or Barcelona."
'Lewandowski is a pure goal machine'
Spanish football
expert Graham Hunter on Sky Sports News:
Please🌈 use Chrome browser for a more
accessible video player Spanish football expert Graham Hunter explains how Barcelona
can afford their🌈 summer signings and their financial situation.
"It is not signed -
both camps are briefing it is done, Lewandowski has not🌈 said to Bayern Munich for
several weeks now 'I'm not coming back, it does not matter what you do.'
"He also🌈 told
his agent, Pini Zahavi, to reject overtures from PSG and Chelsea to get this deal over
the line.
"So until🌈 it is signed, there should be a little bit of caution, but we can
take it that it is going🌈 to happen.
"Since Xavi has taken over, Barcelona have been
scoring for fun and now they have added Raphinha, Dembele is🌈 staying, Feran Torres,
Aubameyang and now Lewandowski, who has scored 344 goals in 375 games for Bayern and
whose passport🌈 age is irrelevant - he is 33, turns 34 in August - he plays like a
28-year-old.
"So you could argue🌈 in pure football terms, this is a pure goal machine
with a good supply, but also in the rebuilding of🌈 FC Barcelona, they are bringing in an
ultra professional, someone with a willing mentality.
"When a club is rebuilding, you
do🌈 not just look for people with particular specialisms, but who can teach and set an
example to everyone else and🌈 Lewandowski is that man."
Follow the summer transfer
window with Sky Sports
Who will be on the move this summer when the🌈 transfer window
opens on June 10 and closes at 11pm on September 1?
Keep up-to-date with all the latest
transfer news🌈 and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital
platforms. You can also catch up with the🌈 ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
